Northern California magician set on fire on Dominican TV show

Magician Wayne Houchin, who grew up in Chico, had his head set on fire Monday in the Dominican Republic, and it wasn't part of the act.

Houchin was the guest of a television show when a host poured flaming Aqua de Florida cologne on his head.

A video of the incident &mdash; at http://goo.gl/oDFpm &mdash; shows a host from the show touching Houchin's head, which bursts into flame.

Houchin rubbed his head, protecting his face, and then fell to the ground a few feet away. People on the set of the television show can be seen gathering around to help.

Houchin posted on Facebook the event was not part of the show, and he considers it a criminal attack.

He received medical treatment at a nearby hospital and is optimistic he will recover without scars, he wrote on Facebook.

Houchin, who attended Pleasant Valley High School, graduating in 2001, recently finished a season as a host of the Discovery Channel show "Breaking Magic," and talked to the Enterprise-Record last month before an appearance on the Today Show in New York.

That story can be found here: http://goo.gl/cXCSX.

At about 9 p.m. Thursday, Houchin posted on his Facebook that he planned to stay in the Dominican Republic for treatment of his burns and that he is grateful for the outpouring of support he has received.

"The Dominican Republic is a beautiful country full of beautiful people," he wrote.

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"Despite all that has happened over the past couple of days, our team has not forgotten why we're here: to spread joy, wonder and love through the performance of magic and illusion."